Advisory group named to guide WMU teacher preparation programs

The new council is led by Dr. Ming Li and includes representatives from several WMU colleges.

KALAMAZOO—Western Michigan University's College of Education and Human Development has formed a new advisory council to oversee professional education programs at WMU.

The Educator Preparation Governing Council is led by Dr. Ming Li, dean of the college, and includes representatives of four WMU colleges as well as education professionals from area school districts. The new council is a policy-making and review body for all programs preparing education professionals for PreK-12 settings. Through its various committees, the council will review assessment results, make recommendations for program and policy changes, and assure communication among all stakeholders.

The group's by-laws were approved by Dr. Timothy Greene, who is WMU's provost and vice president for academic affairs, as well as the deans of the colleges of Arts and Sciences, Education and Human Development, Fine Arts, and Health and Human Services.

The establishment of the Educator Preparation Governing Council addresses a major recommendation of Task Force 21, an 18-month effort to identify areas for improvement in professional education at WMU. The council and its inaugural members were the focus of a recent gala celebration at the college.

Implementation of additional Task Force 21 recommendations will now be directed by the council.